Machine for preparing and shaping the bottoms of lasted shoes.



S. I. WENTWORTH.

MACHINE FoH PREPARING AND SHAPING THE Booms 0F LAsTED sHOEs`.

APPLICATION FILED MAY27. l9l6 Patented Mar. 18, 1919*:-

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, SAMU-EL J. WENT- SAMUEL J'. WENTWORTH, OF NEWPORT, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

.MACHINE FOR PREPARING AND SHAPING THE BOTTOMS OF LASTED SHOES.

WORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newport, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Preparing and Shaping the Bottoms of Lasted Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating likey parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines for operating on shoes and more particularly to a machine for preparing` and shaping the bottom of a lasted shoe. f

In the manufacture of shoes in which the upper leather. has a glossed or enamel-iinished surface such as patent leather considerable difficulty-is experienced in using cement to attach other parts of the shoe to the upper because of the impervious character of the nished surface of the leather.- One instance which may be considered as illustrative of this dii'liculty is in the manufacture of shoes having a patent leather upper and a wood heel. According to the present method of making these shoes the wood heel is temporarily attached- `to the shoe by cement and after the cement has lset suiliciently to prevent the heel from being displaced the heel is nailed on the shoe.

`The step ofinitially' attaching such heels by cement is of particular importance because wood heels are of the final shape when. applied to the shoes, and, therefore, must necessarily be applied with eXactness as contrasted with leather heels which are trimmed down to the proper finished shape after they are nailed to the shoe; also proper initial attachment of wood heels facilitates the final heel attaching operation which would otherwise be extremely diflicult because of the characteristic shapes of wood heels. Whenthe cement is applied to the impervious surface of the overlasted portion of. the upper at the heel seat it does not adhere sufficiently to the leather and consequently allows the heel to slip and be improperly attached during the nailing operation.

Also the heel seat of the lasted shoe is often more or less uneven and irregular oW- ing to the plaits and folds in the upper resulting from the lasting operation so that Specification of'Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919,

Application filed May 27, 1916. Serial No. 100,311.

the heel seat does not present a satisfactory surface to receive the heel of the shoe.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a novel machine for treating the finished surface of an enameled leather shoe upper, whereby the difficulty eXperienced in using cement to attach other parts of the shoe tothe shoe upper may be eliminated.

In the illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention, amachine is provided by which the finished surface of the overlasted portion of the upper at the heel seat of a shoe can be rendered pervious to the cement employed in attaching a wood heel. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, as shown, the machine comprises a tool constructed and arranged to act upon the overlasted portion of the upper at the heel seat and has provision for heating the tool to a temperature sufiicient to scar the finished surface of the leather acted upon by the tool.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the tool is so formed and arranged that it can be manipulated to iron 'down the plaits of the upper at the heel Figure l isa side elevation of a prec ferred embodiment of the machine of the present invention; Y

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the shoe positioning means; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tool for operating upon the shoe.

The illustrated machine comprises a supporting column 2 in which is mounted -for vertical sliding movement a post il. The

post is normally held in raised position in the column b v a coiled spring 6 which surrounds the post and is interposed between an adjustable collar 8 on the post and a shelf 10 formed on the base of the column. The post 4 is moved downwardly in the column 2 against the tension of the spring from the operator.

6 by a foot treadle 12 pivoted at 14 to the lower end of the post and fulcrumed at its rear end Aon a stud 16 in the column. Ad-

.tool for operating upon the shoe and the means for heating the tool. The shoe is supported for the operation of the toolv upon a work support comprising a supporting post 20 pivoted at its lower end on a stud 22 mounted in lugs 24 projecting from the column for tipping movement toward and The upperend of the post is provided with a last pin 26 formed on a block 28 which is pivoted on a stud 30 having bearings in the post and eX- tending longitudinally of the shoe to permit transverse tipping movement of the shoe on the work support. The shoe is positi'oned andheld in operative relation to the tool by a heel embracing band or clamp 31 which automatically adjusts itself to the particular size of shoe to be operated upon and centers the shoe relatively to the tool. As herein shown, the heel clamp 31 comprises two L-shapedI levers 32 and 34y adj ustably mounted upon vertically and lparallelly disposed rods 36 and 38, respectively, which have their upper ends received in bearings -in the presser arm 18 and their lower ends confined in lugs 40 projecting from the column. The arms 42and 44, respectively, of the levers 32 and 34 project toward each other and are provided with cooperating. rack teeth 46 whereby the opening and closing movements of the heel clamp are equalized. The forward ends of the levers are adapted to embrace the heel end of .a shoe and are normally maintained in position to embrace the smallest size shoe to be operated upon by torsion springs 48 lsurrounding the rods 36 and 38 and con- 4fined between the hubs onthe levers 32 and 34 and the lugsl 40 on'the column. I

In order to confine the action of the tool to the overlasted portion of the upper of shoes of different sizes the tool for operat-v ing upon the' shoe is constructed andarranged for automatlc adjustment according to the particular size of shoe to be oper' ated upon and as herein shownthe adjustment of the tool is effected through connections with the heel clamp. To this end the tool comprises two metal blocks'50 and 52 each shaped approximately to the outline of one half. of the heel portion of a lshoe and having bottom faces adapted to conform to the heel seat ofl a lasted shoe. These blocks 50 and 52 are removably securedby nuts 54 to the outer ends of arms 5,6 and 58, re-

spectively, which arepivotally mounted at their rear ends upon the rods 36 and 38. In order that the tool may partake of the movement of .the heel clamp when it embraces the heel end of the shoe bosses 60 are provided on the levers 32 and 34 intermediate their ends, the bosses receiving the' lower ends vof rods 62 andl 64the upper ends of which are held for sliding movement in lugs 66 on the ,arms 56 and 58.supporting the tool.

'.The outer end of the presser arm 8 is .provided with aI horizontal recess adapted' to receive an electrical heating unit 68 which is connected by wires 70 to any suitable -source of current.v The upper portion of both blocks 50 and 52 are preferably recessed to receive or inclose the lower p^r tion 72 of the heating block in which the heating unit 68 is located so that the heating tool may be quickly brought to the -properv degree of heat and maintained at such temperature when adjusted for shoes of dilferent sizes.

In the use of the apparatus, the lasted shoe is first mounted upon theV last spindle 26 and then moved into position to be embraced by the heel band 31, the ltorsion springs 48 on the rods 36 and 38 acting normally to maintain the heel band closed. The movements of the levers 32, 34 of the the shoe effect a similar adjustment of the blocks 50, 52 through their rod connections 62, 64 whereby' the tool may act upon the heating unit 68 is then utilized to heat the tools 50, 52 to a temperature sufficient to sear the finished or enameled surface of the leatherand render it pervious tocement. It is important that the heat of the tool is not suliicient to destroy or decompose the body of the leather but merely enough to sear or decompose the finish on the surface of the leather. It has been found that in practice a`heat of 190 F, will be sumcient to effect the desired result on the finished surface of patent or: enameled leathers. Upon depression of the treadle 12 the presser arm 18 and the tools 5 0, 52 are movedy downwardly on to the heel seat ofthe lasted shoe whereupon the overlasted portion .of the upper is subjected'to the heat of the tools which ldestroys the impervious finish of the leather so that the cement used in attaching the wood heel to the shoe can penetrate the body of the leather and become properly attached thereto. By causing the heated tool to exert considerable pressure on the heel seat the plaits and folds of the upper which were caused by the heel seat lasting operation are also ironed down and the heel seat conformed to the shape of the last bottom and the bottom face of the tool. While the invention has been -herein described as embodied in an apparatus for operating on the heel seat of a lasted shoe vheel band to accommodate the heel end of of may be advantageously embodied in an apparatus for operating on other portions of the shoe wherein similar results are desired. j

Having thus described my invention, I claim as Anew and desireto secure by' Letters-Patent of the United States 1. A machine for operating upon shoes having, in combination, a die constructed and arranged to act upon the finished surface of the overlasted portion of a shoe upper on the bottom of the shoe, means for heating the tool to a temperature sufficient to cause searing of the finished surface of the overlasted portion of the upper, and means for relatively guiding the shoe and the tool into operative relation.

2. A machine for operating upon shoes, having, in combination, a tool constructed and arranged to act upon the finished surface of the overlasted portion of the shoe upper at the heel seat, means for heating the tool to a temperature sufficient to cause the surface of the upper acted upon to be rendered pervious to cement, and means for relatively guiding the shoe and the tool into operative relation.

3. In a machine for Ioperating upon shoes, the combination ,with means for supporting a lasted shoe, of a heated tool adapted to sea-r the outer surface of the overlasted portion of the leather at the heel seat of the shoe to render it pervious to cement, and means for effecting a relative movement lbetween said supporting means and said tool in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the shoe.

4. In a machine for operating upon shoes, the combination .with means for supporting a lasted shoe, of a tool constructed and arranged to act upon the overlasted portion of the upper at the heel seat, means for heating the tool to cause the surface of the upper acted upon to be rendered pervious to cement, and means for effecting a relative movement between said supporting means and said tool.

5. In a machine for operating upon shoes, the combination with means fr' supporting a lasted shoe, of a tool constructed and arranged to engage the overlasted portion of the shoe upper at the heel seat, means for moving the tool into operative relation to the shoe, and means for heating the 'tool to a temperature suiicient to scar the finished surface of the upper and to render it lpervious to cement.

,6, A machine for operating upon shoes having. in combination, a shoe support, a tool constructed and arranged to engage the heel seat of a lasted shoe, means for' heating the tool, and means operatingto force the heated tool against the heel' seat WithA suliicientpressure to cause it to conform to.

the contour of the heel seat of the last.

7. A machine for operating upon shoes having, in combination, means for supporting a lasted shoe, a tool having an actlng face shapedto conform the heel seat of the Yshot to the contour of the heel seat of the last, means for heating the tool, and means for effecting a relative movement between the shoe and the tool for causing the heel seat of the shoe to be subjected to a shaping and conforming action by said tool.

S. A machine for operating upon shoes having, in combination, means for supporting a lasted shoe, a tool having an acting face contoured to correspond substantially to the contour of the heel seat of the last, means for heating the tool, and means constructed and arranged to cause the heated tool to subject the heel seat of the shoe to the molding action of said tool.

9. A machine for operaing upon shoes having, in combination, a support for a lasted shoe, a tool having its acting face shaped to correspond to the shape of the heel seat of the last, means for adjusting said tool to the heel seats of shoes of various sizes, and means for causing the heel seat of the lasted shoe to be subjected to a shaping and molding action b v the tool.

10. A machine for operating upon shoes having, in combination, a tool constructed and arranged to act upon theiinished surface of the overlasted portion of the shoe upper at the heel seat, means for heating the tool to a temperature suliicient to render the surface of the upper acted upon pervious to cement, means for presenting the shoe in position to be acted upon by the tool, and means for moving the tool into operating relation on the shoe.

1l. A machine for operating upon shoes having, in combination, a Work support for supporting a lasted shoe, a heel band arranged to adjust itself automatically to different sizes of shoes, a tool adapted to act upon the overlasted portion of the upper at the heel seat and constructed'and arranged for automatic adjustment according to the size of the shoe being operated upon, means for heating the tool tola temperature sufficient to searthe finished surface of the leather acted upon, and means for relatively moving theV tool and the support into position for the act-ion of the t-ool upon the upper. y

12.. A machine for operating upon shoes having, Vin combination, a support for a lasted shoe, a heel band arranged to adjust itself automatically to different sizes of shoes, a reciprocable tool adapted to actupon the overlasted portion of the upper at the heel seat and connected with the heelband for automatic adjustment thereby according to the s izeof the shoe being operated upon, means for heating the tool to a temperature sufficient to sear the nished the tool into'position to act on the Work j surface of the leather acted upon, and

treadleoperated means for relatively moving to effect the 'desired operation -upon the upper I 13. A machine for operating upon shoes,

having, in combination, a work support for supportlng a lasted shoe, a vertlcally movable heel band arranged to adjust i-tselfv automatically to different sizes of shoes, la reciprocable tool adapted to act upon the overlasted portion of the upper 'at the heel seat, connections between the heel band and the tool for adjusting the tool to the size of shoe embraced by Ithe heel band, means for heating the tool to a temperature sufficient to sear the finished surface of the leather actedl upon, and treadle operated connections to the tool for moving the tool into position to act upon the upper.

14. A. machine .for operatlng on having, in combination, a support for a lasted shoe, a tool having its acting surface shaped to correspond substantially lto the shape of the heel seat of theshoe last, means for engaging opposi-te sides of the shoe at .the heel and arranged to adjust itself to shoes of varlous sizes,

shoes connections between the said tooll and'thesaid shoe engaging means operating to adjust the tool to the size of the shoe engaged by 'the shoe engaging means, and means .for relatively guiding the tool\ and the shoe into operative relation.

15. That improvement in methods of preparing the heel seats of shoes to receive heels, which consists in subjecting the heel seat surface of .a shoe to the pressure of a mold the acting surface of which corresponds substantially incontour to the contour of the Aheel seat surface of the last, and

simultaneously subjecting the heel seat ma- 4 terials of the shoe to the action of heat to render them more susceptible to the shaping pressure of the mold.

16. That improvement in methods of preparing the heel seatsv of shoes to receive heels, which consists inshaping the entire heel seat of a shoe to the contour of the,

shaping faces of a die in the presence of heat by -forcing 'the heated die against the heel seat of the tially' perpendicular to the plane ofthe shoe bottom. l

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. p

SAMUELl J. WENTWORTH.

shoe in a direction substan. 

